Concord Rangers 0–1 Hayes & Yeading

From the Aspect Arena

Conference South

 

CONCORD Rangers’ play-off hopes ended in disappointing fashion as they struggled to a 1-0 loss against 10-man Hayes & Yeading.

The Beach Boys had been in with a shout of a top five spot after a superb 2015 saw them close on the league’s front-runners, but it was just beyond Danny Cowley and his team’s reach.

They are now seven points away with only one game remaining.

And they came into the match knowing only a win was likely to be enough to keep them in the hunt come the final day of the season.

Hayes & Yeading were playing for pride after a difficult season that has seen them spend much of the season in a relegation battle.

But it was Hayes who started the brighter of the two, and they struck the first blow with their very first effort on target.

An out swinging corner from Luke Williams was met by Christian Smith at the near post and his bullet header left home goalkeeper Josh Vickers grasping at thin air.

Concord needed a response but were struggling to string any meaningful passes together, with lone striker Lewis Taaffe ploughing a lone furrow against Smith and Lewis Ferrell.

However, Vickers was also a spectator for the remainder of the half, with only one other meaningful act a first half talking point.

10 minutes before the break, Greg Morgan and Danny Glozier squared up, after the former had aimed an apparent head butt at the Beach Boys defender.

Glozier grabbed Morgan around the neck in response as the two fell to the floor but, after getting to their feet, it was Morgan who was dismissed.

Glozier was taken off by Cowley immediately, with Tony Stokes joining Tafffe up front but it remained 1-0 at half-time.

But Concord were still struggling to create and it was the introduction of Steve Cawley that saw the pendulum start to swing in the home team’s favour.

Firstly, the striker fired a fine cross field ball into the path of Stokes who took a touch as he advanced on goal only to blaze wildly over under pressure.

Then it was Gary Ogilvie’s chance to come close, but his header was skewed narrowly wide of the far post.

And then it was Cawley himself who swivelled and hit a right-footed shot at goal first time but it whistled agonisingly past the post.

Matt Fry saw a late chance grasped by away stopper Grant Smith but it was one on few occasions he was called into action.

Concord still have plenty to play for, with Billericay Town to come in Monday’s Essex Senior Cup final.

 

Concord Rangers: Vickers, Woodyard, Glozier (Stokes), Gardner, Fry, King (Cawley), Ogilvie, White, Collins, Miles, Taaffe (Walker)

Hayes & Yeading: G Smith, Fenlon, Monthe, C Smith, Ferrell, Inman, Morgan, Kearney (Murrell-Williamson), Green, Williams, McLennon

 

Other results:

Ryman Premier: Leiston 1–1 Canvey Island, Billericay Town 3–3 Tonbridge Angels, East Thurrock United 1–1 Enfield Town

Ryman One North: Great Wakering Rovers 1–3 Brightlingsea Regent